Footrest and pedal extension for pianos



July 16, 1940- H. M. SARGENT 2,297,824

FOOTREST AND PEDAL EXTENSION FOR PIANOS Original Filed Oct. 3l, 1955 4/ .LF 1 1.' l 1 i`L. i

A TToR/vfx Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES anni PATENT OFFMIE 2,207,824 FOOTREST AND PEDAL EXTENSION FOR PIA Helen M. Sargent, Wilmette, Ill.

11 Claims. (fCl. tia-232) My invention relates to a device adapted to be placed at the front of a musical instrument of the character of a piano, this device having a footrest in raised relation to the floor and also means whereby the piano pedals may be operated by the feet of a player which are normally supported on the iootrest.

The invention is of especial usefulness to children and persons of small stature. In the teachl0 ing of piano playing to children the use of the pedals is often delayed as the result of the inability of the pupil to reach the pedals when seated on a chair or piano bench in a normal manner. Likewise, the child student will often sit at the piano with legs dangling, a condition which is not conducive to good posture and in many instances results in considerable discomfort and nervous strain on the pupil which may in some instances interfere with the pupils progress. It

is an object of my present invention to provide a footrest for the feet of a person of small stature seated at the piano at a proper height to give the correct position'of the arms and hands relative to the keyboard, so that correct posture of the person may be readily achieved with such ease and comfort being present as to enable the person to devote his entire attention to playing or practice at the piano.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the above character which is portable 'and may be readily secured in operative position at the front of the piano or similar musical instrument without the use of screws or bolts which make threaded engagement with the piano structure, and which does not require the use of tools to iix it in operative position relative to the piano.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment of the above character having pedal operating means in predetermined positions relative to the footrest, and it is a further object of the invention to provide a simple means for adjusting the footrest to different heights to suit the user, and to have in conjunction therewith a means for automatically moving or adjusting the pedal operating means to positions corresponding to the positions of the footrest.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the above character which is not only simple in character and construction but is of such artistic appearance that it will not detract from the appearance of the piano with which it is used.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out throughout the following part of the specication.

Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. 5

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken as indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View, partly in section, taken as indicated by the arrow 4 of Fig. l. 10

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The preferred form of the invention shown in the drawing includes a supporting element I I having a footrest I2 carried thereon and having l5 pedal engaging members I3 adapted to rest upon the piano foot pedals i4, shown in dotted lines, when the supporting element I I is placed in operative position at the front of the piano. The device likewise has foot pedals I5 spaced above 20 the footrest I2 in a relation thereto substantially the saine as the relation of the piano pedals I4 to the floor I6. The members I3 are connected to the foot pedals I5 by pedal extensions I'I which are supported in such a manner that when either 25 of the foot pedals I5 is forced downwardly, the corresponding piano pedal Ill will be depressed, thereby making it possible for the piano player with his feet positioned on or above the iootrest I2 to readily operate the piano pedals I4 through 30 the medium of the foot pedals I5 of my device.

The supporting element II comprises a pair of Vertical bars I8 connected in spaced relation by means of upper connecting bars I9 and a lower connecting bar 20. The lower portions of the ver- 35 tical bars I8 may be bent outwardly or spread apart as shown at 22 so as to assure ample clearance for the piano pedals I4, and the lower eX- tremities of the bars I 8 may be provided with feet 23 which may be made of rubber, if desired. The 40 extensions I'I likewise consist of bars which are extended vertically or in parallel relation to the bars I8, the lower ends of the members Il being slidable through openings 24 in the lower connecting bar 20, and the upper ends of the bars I'I 45 being provided with stems 25 of reduced diameter which pass through openings 26 in the upper con-- necting bars I9 and are slidable in such openings.

Slidable respectively on the vertical bars I'l and I8 are sleeves 21a and 2lb, these sleeves being the 50 same in general character but being of two different sizes owing to the differences of diameter of the bars I'I and I8. The sleeves 27a and 2lb are square in cross section at their lower portions and circular at their upper portions. Each of 55 the sleeves 21a has a pair of arms 28ar projecting rearwardly from intermediate portions thereof and curving downwardly as best shown in Fig. 4. Each of the sleeves 2lb has a pair of arms 28h projecting rearwardly from intermediate portions thereof and curving downwardly as best shown in Fig.'2. These arms 28a and` 28h are spaced apart in parallel vertical planes so as to carry horizontal pins 29a and 29h respectively, which support the rearward ends of locking levers or dogs Sla and Sib respectively, the dogs 3l@ being employed with the sleeves 27a and the larger dogs 3IZJI being employed with the sleeves 2lb. The lower rearward portions of the sleeves 21a.` and 2lb, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 2 respectively,

- are cut away to provide recesses or openings 32a and 32h respectively, whereby the members I'I and I8 respectively will be exposed so that the inner ends 33a and 33h of the dogs 3Ia and 3H?y respectively may engage the bars II and I8 respectively when the members 3Ia and. 3Ib' respectively are pulled upwardly by springs 34 and 35 respectively shown in Figs. 4 and 2. The dogs 3Ia and Bib' may engage the bars Il and I8 as they approach horizontal positions, and due to the fact that they are at this time nearly perpendicular to the bars I'I and I8, the respective ends 33a and 33h thereof exert great pressure against the bars and lock the sleeves 21a and 2lb against downward movement.

The footrest I2 comprises a rectangular plate and has a pair of brackets 36 at the rearward portion Vthereof for pivotal engagement with the sleeves 2lb. Each of the brackets 36 has a pair of rearwardly extending vertical plates 37 and 37a spaced apart so as to pass on opposite sides of the squared-portion of the sleeves 2lb cooperating therewith, and pivot means are provided in the form of two screws 38 'and 38a passing through openings in the plates 37 and 31a, and being threaded into opposite sides of the sleeves 2lb. Accordingly, the footrest I2 may be swung upwardly from. the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to its dotted line position The foot pedals I5 have vertical plates 31h and 37e projecting rearwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the sleeves 27a, and pivot means for the foot pedals I5 are provided in the form of small screws 33h and 33C, which pass through openings in these last named plates 37b and 31o into threaded engagement with opposite sides of the sleeves 2M. To provide a connection of the foot pedals I5 with the footrest I2 so that movement of the footrest l2 into raised position such as shown at I2a will result in the swinging of the foot pedals I5 into raised positions as indicated by dotted lines l5a, vertical bars 40 are extended downwardly from the `foot pedals yI 5 through yertical openings lil in the footrest I2, there being stops formed on the lower ends of the bars 4U by suitable means such as screws 42 whi-ch are threaded upwardly into the lower ends of the bars Q3'. When the footrest I2 is in horizontal position, the vertical bars l0 may move downwardly through the openings 4I when the pedals i5 are pressed down, but the engagement of the bars 65 with the openings 4I serves to keep the pedals l5 in parallel relation to the footrest I2, the result being that when the footrest I2 is swung upwardly, the pedals I5 will be likewise rotated upwardly on their pivot screws 38D and 38o.

The purpose of the provision for swinging the footrest l2 and the foot pedals I5 upwardly is to provide a simple means whereby the dogs 3| a and Sib may be swung downwardly into disengaged position such as shown for dogs 3Ia by dotted lines 43a in Fig. 4, whereupon the sleeves Zla, and 2lb and the parts I2 and I5 pivotally secured thereto may be moved on the bars I'I and I8 to a new position of adjustment. It will be noted that the dogs 3Ia and 3Ib, as shown in Figs. 4 and 2, have vertical openings 45a and 35D respectively therein across which horizontal pins 46a. and i651 are extended for engagement with the lower ends of the springs 34 and 35 respectively. The springs 35 are relatively short, and, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper ends thereof are secured to pins 41 disposed between the upper portions of the plates 28D which project rearwardly from the sleeves 21h. The springs 34 are larger than the springs 35, and in addition to the function of rotating the dogs 3Ia upwardly, have the purpose of applying a lifting force to the sleeves 21a. whereby the foot pedals I5 will be yieldably held in raised position or in an upwardly spaced relation to the footrest I2 determined by the stops d2 on the lower ends of the bars 40. The upper ends of the springs 34 are connected to arms 48 which project upwardly from. the rearward portions of the sleeves 21h and are bent inwardly behind the bars I'I as shown in Figs.

l and 2.

It will be noted that the screws 38, 38a, 38h, and 38o are axially aligned when the sleeves 21a and 2lby are in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. l. Therefore, at this time the parts I2 and I5 may be rotated upwardly freely and in unison. Each of the plates 31, 31a is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly extending lever portion 50, and between each pair of these levers 5I] a small rod 5I is extended, the position of such rod being in each instance between a sleeve 2lb and the arms 28h which project rearwardly therefrom. Each of the plates 31h, 31e is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly extending lever portion 53a, and between each pair of these levers 50a, a small rod 5Iais extended, the

position of such rod being in each instance bef tween a sleeve 21a and the arms 28a which project rearwardly therefrom. The pins or rods 5I, 5Ia are likewise in such position that when the footrest I2 and the foot pedals I5 are rotated upwardly as shown by dotted lines I2@ and I5a in Fig. 2, the pins 5I, 5Ia will engage the upper forward portions of the dogs 3Iby and 3Ia respectively, and rotate such dogs 3Ib, 3Ial downwardly into released positions such as indicated by dotted lines 43 and 43a, respectively in Figs. 2 and 4. Therefore, all of the dogs 3Ib, Bla will be simultaneously released so that at the time the footrest I2 is in raised position, the sleeves 21a, 2lb may be moved upwardly or downwardly on the bars l'! and I8 respectively to a desired new position. Then, when the footrest I2 is again swung downwardly into the horizontal position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the foot pedals I5 are likewiseswung, the upward rotation of the levers 50, 50a will remove the pins 5I, 5Ia from engagement with the dogs 3Ib, 3Ia respectively and permit the springs 35 and 34 to swing the dogs 31D, 3m respectively into their latched or locked positions in which they are shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 4, thereby locking the footrest I2 in its new position of use and likewise locking the sleeves 21a on the bars II so that when the foot pedals I5 arepressed downwardly, the bars I'l will be likewise moved downwardly, depressing the piano pedals I4. When the device d.. geni( is in adjusted or operative position asl shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the springs 34 will likewise support the bars I'I owing to the fact that these bars are at this time locked to the sleeves 21a.

I provide a simple means for securing the device II in operative position at the front of the piano, including screw means 53, preferably consisting of a pair of laterally spaced vertical screws t, supported in threaded sleeves 55 in such a manner that they may be screwed upwardly into engagement with the lower part of the keyboard supporting structure 56 of a piano, the general character 'of such keyboard supporting structure being shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. The threaded sleeves are preferably carried by the upper connecting bars I9, and the lower portions of the screws 54 are preferably knurled as shown at 51 so that they may be readily rotated so as to be screwed upwardly or downwardly through the sleeves 55. A manner of placing the device in operative position at the front of theY pianio is as follows.` The bars I'I are first adjusted to their highest positions, that is, so that the shoulders 58 at the upper ends thereof will be brought into engagement with the lower of the two bars I9. Then, with the footrest I2 in a position perpendicular to the b-ars I 'I and I8, the device is moved inwardly relative to the piano in a manner to bring the feet I3 at the lower ends of the bars I'I to positions above the piano pedals I4. The screws 54 are then rotated so asy to move them upwardly into tight engagel mentwith the lower portion or under face of the keyboard supporting structure 56 of the piano, after which the footrest I2 may be raised into the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, to release the latches 3m, 3Ib whereupon the bars I1 may slide downwardly into engagement with the piano pedals It as shown in Fig. l. Thereafter, the adjustment of the footrest I2 and the foot pedals I5 to the desired height may be accomplished in the manner previously described herein.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in simple and practical form, it is recognized that certain parts or elements thereof are representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may be used in substantially the same manner to accomplish substantially the same results; therefore, it is tobe 'understood that the invention is not'to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of a supporting element adapted for placement at the front of a piano, said supporting element comprising a first member horizontally movably supported upon the floor and a second member adjustable with respect to said rst member and provided with a contacting face disposed at such an elevation that said face is adapted to engage the keyboard supporting structure of the piano; a footrest carried on said supporting element; and piano pedal extensions movably supported by said supporting element in positions to engage the pedals of the piano, said pedal extensions having foot pedals connected thereto in operative relation to said footrest.

2. In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of: a supporting element adapted for placement at the front of a piano, said supporting element having foot means at the lower end thereof for engaging the floor and movable clamping means adjustably mounted on said supporting element and adapted to be moved upwardly into clamping engagement with the underside of the keyboard supporting structure of the piano; a footrest adjustably carried on said supporting element and adjustable to different heights relative to the floor; lock means associated with said footrest and movable to engage said -supporting element for locking said foctrest relative to the supporting element at different heights; and means movable with said footrest and automatically engaging said lock means when upward movement is manually imparted to said footrest to move said lock means into lreleased position whereby said footrest is freely movable relative to said supporting element.

3. In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of: a supporting element comprising a pair of xedly related vertical legs and means for securing the same in operative position at the front of a piano; a pair of extension bars vertically and slidably mounted on said supporting element in such position that the lower ends thereof will engage the pedals of the piano; a. sleeve slidable on each of said legs; a sleeve slidable on each of said bars; a locking dog pivotally mounted cn each of said sleeves slidable on said legs so as to swing into locking engagement with said legs; a locking dog pivotally mounted on each of said sleeves slidable on said bars so as to swing into locking engagement with said bars; spring means associated with each of said dogs normally holding the dogs in locking position; a footrest pivoted to said sleeves slidable on said legs so as to be swung from a horizontal position to a raised position; foot pedals pivoted on said sleeves slidable on said bars; and releasing levers associated with said footrest and said foot pedals so as to be moved when said footrest is swung from said horizontal position to said raised position, said levers engaging said locking dogs to move said dogs from engagement with said legs and said bars so that said footrest and said footpedals are freely movable relative to said supporting element.

4. In a footrest for pianos, the combination of a supporting element having a vertical guide means; block means slidable on said guide means; a footrest pivoted to said block means so as to swing from a forwardly projecting position to an angular position; a locking cam carried by said block means and movable from a position normally engaging said guide means in wedging relation therewith into a position in which said block is free to slide on said guide means; and a release member connected to move with said foctrest and adapted to engage said cam and move it out of said wedging relation with said guide means.

5. In a footrest Iand pedal extension for pianos, the combination of: a supporting element adapted to be operatively positioned at the front of a piano, said supporting element having vertical guide means; block means slidable on said vertical guide means; a footrest pivoted on said block means so as to be swung from a forwardly projecting position to an upwardly angled position; locking means carried by said block means and movable to engage said guide means in locking relation therewith; a first release member connected to move with said footrest and adapted to engage said locking means and move it out of locking relation with said guide means; a bar member vertically movable on said supporting element in a position to engage a piano pedal; a body slidable on said bar member; a foot pedal supported by said body; a body locking means carried by said body and movable to engage said bar means in locking relation therewith; and a second release member connected -to move with said footrest and adapted to engage said body locking means and move it out of said locking relation with said bar member.

6. In a iootrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of: a supporting element adapted for placement at the front of a piano, said supporting element comprising a iirst member horizontally movably supported upon the floor and a second member vertically adjustable with respect to said first member and provided with a horizontal contacting face disposed at such an elevation that said face is adapted to be thrust upward in clamping engagement with an underface of the keyboard supporting structure of the piano; a footrest carried on said supporting element; and piano pedal extensions movably supported by said supporting element in position to engage the pedals of the piano, said pedal extensions having foot pedals connected thereto in operative relation to said iootrest.

7l In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of: a supporting frame; a footrest secured thereto; a pedal extension movably mounted on said frame and adapted to contact and operate the piano pedal; resilient means interposed between said frame and said extension for yieldably holding said extension in inoperative position; and a foot pedal operatively connected to said extension.

8. In a footrest for pianos, the combination of a supporting frame detachable from the piano; a` releasable clamping block vertically adjustably mounted on said frame; a footrest movably mounted on said block; and releasing means for said clamp operatively connected to said movable footrest. i

9. In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of a supporting frame detachable from the piano; a pedal extension movably mounted on said frame; a releasable clamping block vertically adjustably mounted on said pedal extension; a foot pedal movably mounted on said clamping block; and releasing means for said clamp operatively connected .to said movably mounted foot pedal.

10. In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of z a supporting frame detachable from the piano; a pedal extension vertically freely slidably mounted on said frame and having a foot adapted to Contact the piano pedal; a footrest vertically adjustably mounted on said frame; a foot pedal vertically adjustably mounted on said extension; and a connecting means between said footrest and foot pedal, additional to said frame and extension, and movable with said foot pedal and footrest, and adapted to control the vertical spaced relationship of said foot pedal and said footrest.

1l. In a footrest and pedal extension for pianos, the combination of z a vertically disposed supporting frame; a rst releasable clamp vertically slidably mounted on said frame; a footrest pivoted to said clamp on a rst horizontal axis; a vertically disposed pedal extension vertically slidably mounted on said frame and adapted to contact the piano pedal; a second releasable clamp vertically slidably mounted on said extension; a foot pedal pivoted to said second clamp on a second horizontal axis inthe same vertical plane with said rst horizontal axis; vertically disposed resilient supporting means carried by said rst clamp and secured to said second clamp and yieldably supporting said second clamp; means for limiting the upward movement of said extension relative to said footrest to a position in which said horizontal axes are in horizontal alignment; means securing said footrest and said foot pedal together in vertically slidable relationship and for oscillation in unison about their respective pivotal axes when said axes are aligned; and releasing means for said rst clamp and releasing means for said second clamp connected to said footrest and foot pedal respectively and adapted to be operated by oscillatory movement of said ootrest and said foot pedal respectively.

HELEN M. SARGENT, 

